<a title="SJVC Home" href="/">Home</a> &gt; <a title="Program Listing" href="/program-listing/">Programs</a> &gt; <a title="Medical Programs" href="/medical-programs/">Medical</a> &gt; Diagnostic Medical Sonography

SJVC's <strong>Diagnostic Medical Sonography</strong> program prepares students to work as an entry-level general sonographer. Students learn how to perform ultrasound scanning examinations and record the data for interpretation by a physician.Graduates are prepared to provide effective oral and written communication to the healthcare team as it pertains to diagnostic results.

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-5419" title="Diagnostic Medical Sonography" alt="Train to be an ultrasound technician." src="/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/DMS-web.png" width="600" height="320" />

[tab:Students Will Learn]
Throughout SJVC’s <strong>Diagnostic Medical Sonography</strong> program, students will learn:
<ul>
	<li>• Fundamentals and professional aspects of sonography</li>
	<li>• Principles and instrumentation of ultrasound</li>
	<li>• Abdominal ultrasound imaging</li>
	<li>• Obstetrics, gynecology and vascular imaging</li>
</ul>
[tab:Program Outcomes]
Graduates will earn an <strong>Associate of Science Degree</strong> in Diagnostic Medical Sonography, and can do so in as few as <strong>17 months</strong>.

The law does not require that a diagnostic medical sonographer be licensed or ARDMS certified in order to work as a sonographer, but some employers do require that potential employees be ARDMS certified, or eligible to sit for the ARDMS certifying examination within one year after hire. Please refer to the <a href="http://static.sjvc.edu/_downloads/docs/DMS_Application.pdf">applicant information packet</a> for more details about sitting for the ARDMS Exam.

[tab:Careers]
Employers are looking for graduates who are prepared to work as an <strong>Ultrasound Technician</strong> or entry-level <strong>Sonographer</strong> in a variety of settings such as hospitals, radiology imaging centers or clinics. Other career opportunities include working for a registry service or equipment manufacturer.
<strong>On the job, sonographers and ultrasound technicians can expect to:</strong>
<ul>
	<li>• Prepare patients for procedures by taking a patient’s history and answering any questions about the procedure</li>
	<li>• Prepare and maintain imaging equipment</li>
	<li>• Operate equipment to get diagnostic images of areas in the patient’s body</li>
	<li>• Analyze images to provide preliminary findings for physicians</li>
	<li>• Record findings and keep track of patients’ records</li>
</ul>
[tab:Campuses]
SJVC's <strong>Diagnostic Medical Sonography</strong> program is available in:
<ul>
	<li>• <a title="Bakersfield" href="/bakersfield/">Bakersfield</a></li>
</ul>
[tab:Accreditation &amp; Tuition]

<strong>Accreditation</strong>
San Joaquin Valley College is regionally accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), an institutional accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and the U.S. Department of Education.
<strong>Tuition &amp; Fees*</strong>
Estimated cost for tuition, fees, equipment and books for the A.S. degree program is $39,500. The tuition is $19,750 per academic year. <em>*Tuition &amp; fees at San Joaquin Valley College are subject to change. Please contact the campus near you for the most current information.</em>

<strong>Additional Tuition Information</strong>
<ul>
	<li>1. Costs are estimates based on current available information and are subject to change.</li>
	<li>2. Financial Aid is administered through the Financial Aid Offices of San Joaquin Valley College, Bakersfield Campus, 201 New Stine Rd., Bakersfield, CA.</li>
	<li>3. Please refer to the SJVC Catalog for withdrawal and refund policies.</li>
</ul>

Students in SJVC’s Diagnostic Medical Sonography program must meet several prerequisites to enroll. <a href="/diagnostic-medical-sonography-prerequisites/">Learn more</a>.
[tab:END]

<strong>If a degree in Diagnostic Medical Sonography sounds like the opportunity you've been looking for, please complete SJVC’s Request Information form. An Admissions Advisor will contact you soon to discuss how you can reach your career goals with SJVC.</strong>
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